David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

Saint David's Co-Directors of Inclusion, Diversity and Inclusion, with Dr. Derrick Gay  As a school that deeply values "true community," we want our children to embrace civility and respect difference, to always demonstrate a commitment to stand up for what is right. In so doing, our boys can live more meaningfully and can experience the joyful penned in our mission; a joy that isn't defined as happiness per se, but rather the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing and accepting oneself, and then, by extension accepting and respecting the humanity in others, regardless of difference.  In this light, we continue our partnership, now in its seventh year, with Dr. Derrick Gay , whose sessions focus on building an ever more inclusive and respectful community where all of our boys, their families, and our teachers and staff feel a sense of deepening connection and belonging. Last week, Dr. Gay met with boys in all grades for sessions that promoted efforts among the boy...

I would like to share the following feature article, which appears in the current issue of Saint David's Magazine. Written by our Lower School Head Hope Lippens and Assistant Lower School Head Nick Imbelli '98, it addresses how Saint David's School attends to our younger boys' social and emotional well-being. Over the past two-and-a-half years, we have collectively, as a society and school community, faced challenges never before experienced. Each day, we are barraged by talks of a global pandemic, political discord, social injustices, and violence. Many adults have had a difficult time finding answers for themselves, so it is no surprise that children are struggling to cope with the stressors they are faced with each day. Even prior to the pandemic, research conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration found that between 2016 and 2020, there was a 29 percent rise in anxiety and 27 percent rise in depression in children ages 3-17.  In 2020, the Ann ...

Saint David's 72nd year is off to a joy-filled start! Our classrooms and hallways reflect the energy and excitement of boys slipping back into familiar routines, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and connecting with their incredible teachers. It's an exciting time for all. Below, I share some thoughts from my Opening Letter, which celebrates our theme this year "Joyful Balance":  "And all at once, summer collapsed into fall."  * After sending all the other knights to slay the dragon and failing, the king, left with no other options, sends his own daughter to protect the kingdom. Tearful, she confronts the monster just as George arrives on his white horse and sporting shining armor to save her and the kingdom. Today, George could just as easily be a Georgina or the princess herself. Regardless of the anachronistic nature of parts of this story, “chivalry” redefined for the 21st century has a place.  In origin, c hivalry was formed in the Old Fre...

  Saint David's faculty at the IBSC Conference in Dallas, Texas (June 2022). Action research is any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors, or other stakeholders in the teaching/learning environment to gather information about how their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn. —Geoffrey Mills, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher The most effective teaching incorporates art, craft, and science. Traditionally, the profession’s strength has rested in the art and craft areas. Art speaks to teachers using their own passions, talents, and creativity when teaching. Craft refers to the skill sets teachers exhibit, often gained through experience. The science of teaching leverages strategies that well-designed research studies indicate are most effective in eliciting desired outcomes in students. It is data driven, both quantitative and qualitative. By incorporating the scie...

  “Accept and trust in yourself. Focus on your interests. Those interests will connect you to everything."    These inspiring words were delivered during a master class given last Thursday in our theatre to our eighth grade boys by legendary artist Jeff Koons, the featured speaker at the Frederic (Eric) Wu ’14 Alumni Parents Council Lectures. The event, which also included the boys' parents and alumni parents in attendance, focused on Koons' philosophy about art.   Koons led us on a fascinating tour of his works: from his early inflatables and gazing balls to the iconic creations like "Balloon Dog" and the commemorative "Bouquet of Tulips" metal sculpture, erected in the wake of terrorist attacks in France in 2015.    His art, which by turn references the classical art of Greece as well as popular culture, calls upon the viewer to reflect —sometimes literally, as in his mirrored gazing ball sculptures — and to make connections. At Saint David’s, we spea...

“I am speaking today because I want to tell you what Horizons means to me. I remember the memorable times of Horizons like the trips to the Guggenheim, Seeing Spiderman Far From Home , the lunch… These experiences shaped me into the person and student I am today. Joining a community and learning how to give a firm handshake gave me room to build my confidence in talking with others, as you can see. Besides that, Horizons helped me academically. Horizons formed me into a successful high schooler. This year I rowed on the crew team, got a lead in the theater program and continue to perform well academically.  “I’m still in touch with friends I made at Horizons, and some are even at Fordham with me. I use the lessons I learned here every day. And will continue to through high school and beyond. The joyful memories and experiences I’ve had at Horizons are priceless and are better than anything I could’ve possibly imagined."--Noah R., Horizons at Saint David's Alumnus .   Noah, who...

Earlier this week, Saint David's warmly welcomed back alumnus Tommy Robertshaw '10 to deliver a Chapel Talk at one of Saint David's special traditions, the Mother-Son Chapel. The annual Chapel gathers our fifth grade boys and their mothers or mother figures for a special, shared experience; a Chapel Talk by a young alumnus who reflects upon the role his mother has played in his life.  Eloquently connecting his love for his mother with his affection for his elementary school, Tommy's words moved and inspired us all. I would like to share them, below:  One of my very early memories is from Kindergarten, making gold and red streamers out of construction paper in the back yard—right out there—for the school’s Golden Jubilee–its 50th birthday. Now the school is 72 and I’m 26. But this room is exactly the same.  And so is this: All that we can be, all that we will be, all we are began in thee. O alma mater, fostering parent, hail to thee Saint David’s School.  Can anyone t...